Method of and mechanism for making cork sheets.



yPATLENTED 4JAN'. 29, 1907.

y J. E. STONE. METEoD 0E ANDMEGHANISM EOE MAKING coEK SHEETS APPLICATIONFILED 00T. l0. 1906.

/NVENTH 7M .PM 4 la). y

i yof which the following TQ all, whom# may concern:

' UNITED j-sTATns PATENT JUNIUs n, STONE, oF NEWYORK, n. YQ

Be it known that I, JUNiUs H. SToNn,la

fcitizenof the United States, residing atNew 'York, county of New `York,State of New tion involves an improved method and appal ratus forcontinuousl compressing and heatllIlIleCeSSaIl'y.

ing va layer of granu ated cork, so 4that said layer will retain itsmolded form.

-Heretofore, so far as I am aware, granulated cork has been baked andressed only in the form of sheets or strips of limited area; and theobject of this'invention is tosave labor not only'in the manufacture ofthe sheets, but in the erection of buildings 'for containing the moldingapparatus, since a large number of separate sets of molds will be Of theaccompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a longitudinal sectionthrough an apparatus embodying my invention and' by' means of which myimproved method may be carried out'. Fig. 2 represents a section online22onFig. 1. y

Similar `reference characters. indicate .the same or similar parts inboth figures.

In the embodiment of the'invention illustrated inthe drawings theapparatus coni-l prises an endless carrier, Iconsisting of a series ofAlower sections or containers 10, suitably connected to form an endlesschain, each section or container bei-ng formed with a bottom and twoends, but withno side ortions, so thatthe upper stretch ofthe endlcarrier will' comprise a trou h ca able of receiving the granulatedcori. he endless carrier is mounted on drums or Wheels 11, which are soformed as to engage the endless carrier and positively actuate saidcarrier.l in the direction of the arrow re resented in Fig. 1 by meansof ower suitab applied'to one or both of the s afts of said rums orwheels. A'lheoven is preferably of the horizontal ftype, constructedsubstantially like a lon'gf lue. It is to be the oven and the mold maybe arranged in other than horizontal position. The oven illustratedcomprises a casing 12, having an inlet at oneen and an exit-opening atthe specification of Letters patent. y Application led October'llv.1908. Serial No. 838.249.

'otherwise `liexibly /ment.

.Since the internal pressure of the gases4 understood, however,thatcontained in the cork isliable to swell thel other end.

METHOD oiF ANnmEcHAmsM F'oR `n n/Mums. com( SHEETS.

. lInst-emma Jan. 29 1907.

\ Mounted in the `walls ofthe oven or other# Wise supported aremoldfsupporting rolls 13;

An endless presser 14 to coperate with'the sections of the endlesscarrier is illustrated as -comprising plates, which are hinged or that'the suitable hold the lower stretch of the endless presser presser asawhole may be driven by down upon the material in the mold-sections,

'I employ a series of rolls 15, the shafts of which extend through slotsin the sides of the connected together, so

drums or Wheels' 19. In order to f easing and are mounted in bars 16,Which.-

are adjustably connected by screws 177 to, lugs or bosses 18, p ojectingfrom the sides of the casing. By a plane of travel-'of endless'pressermay be varied so as to 'provide for the production of a sheet or stripofvany desired thickness Within the limits of the adjustments provided,which limits may be from one to =four `inches.

stretches o the endless carrier and endless presser may be supported bysuitable rolls 20; The oven may be heated by any suitable means, such aselectric heaters or super-v heated steam or hot fair. In 1 I haveindicated pipes 21 for theintro ction and escape of any suitablevheating. fluid. Atone end ofthe apparatus a hopper 22 is mounted said,hopper being adapted to 'contain a suitable quantity of ranulated cork,said cork being deposited rom the hop er directl into one end of thetrough formed) by the en( less carrier. The end of the endless presserimmediately vin front of the discharge or bottom hopper is inclined, sothat the cork taken from the hopper is gradually com ressed as itapproaches the oven, said cork eing held ess l 1n compression betweenthe sections 1 0 and the plates of the presser 14 assing through theoven. The oven ma e heated to a temperature of from 400 ahrenheit to 500Fahrenheit, the speed of movement-bein slow enough so that the combinedheat an pressure will condense the layer o'f-cork and usting thescfewsl'the the lower stretch ofthe The return cause the naturalingredients of the cork toserve to bind the parts together,- like acesheet is heated than when thes lest is4 colds' The escape ofthegasesweakens the sheet to 7 the lower stretch, which passes through thecooler-casing, is held down by rolls 150, which I vent access of air tothe sheet orthe expanof ycarrying out said method, although' not lis@layer Whilein the heater, and then passing the layer through a cooler,vthe inaierial being heating and cooling.

-of the carrier 100 and cooler. I may be `cut to'any size and thicknessdesired f and cooling.

'forming a layer of granulated cork, passing are mount ed similarly tothe rolls 15 and may be adjusted by screws 170, the said endless presserbeing mounted on and driven by' drums or wheels 190. The returnstretches supported by rolls 200. -J Suitable pipes 21() are shown,which pipes may be'used for the introduction and escape' of a suitablecooling medium, such as refrigerated air. To presion of the sheet as itpasses -through the ovento the cooler,` a suitable housing 23 may beemployed intermediate said oven and After the sheet leaves the cooler it'by any suitable means.

. y Having now described my improved method and one embodiment ofapparatus capable limiting myself tothe particular apparatus illustiated and described, what I claim is`` 1. The-,method of making a corksheet or strip, the same consisting in continuously forming a layer ofgranulated cork, simultai neously compressing and heating said layer asit is formed, and progressively cooling said layer, and holding itundercompression during such cooling, themalerial being held substantiallyair-excluded during the heating 2. The method of making a corkslieet orstrip, the same consisting in continuously forming a layer of granulatedcork', passing' the layer through a heater, compressing said heldsubstantially air-excluded during'the.

`3. The -method of making a cork sheet or strip, the saine consisting incontinuously the layer through a heater, compressing said I resser 140may be layer while in'kthe heater, and then passing the layer through a.cooler and holding it under compression in said cooler, the matel rialbeing heldl substantially air-excluded i during the heating and cooling.l 4. The method of making a cork sheet or l strip, the' saine consistingin contiiiuouslyi forming a i layer of granulated cork, passing thelayer through a heater, compressing sai layer whilein the heater,coolingtlie layer under pressure after leavingqthe heater, and

passingthe layer through an air-eigcluding housing between the heaterand the cooler.

5. An apparatus for the manufacture of continuous cork sheets orstrips,l comprising an endless carrier, an endless presser, said carrierand presser being in 'opposition to each other, the opposingsurfacesmoving in the same direction, said carrier being substantiallyunyielding while carrying the material, an oven inclosing portions ofthe carrier and presser', and means for supporting the portions of thecarrier and presser within the oven.

,6. An apparatus for the manufacture of p continuous cork sheets orstrips, comprising an endless carrier, an endless presser, said carrierand presser being in opposition to each other, the-opposing surfacesmoving` in the same direction, said carrier being substantiallyunyielding while carrying the-material, an oven inclosing portions ofthe carrier and presser, rolls for supporting the portion of the carrierwithin thel oven, and adjustable pressling-rolls bearing on the portionvof the'presser within the oven.

. 7. LAn' apparatus for the nianufacturejof continuous cork sheets orstrips, comprising an endless carrier, an endless presser, an oveninclosing portions of the carrier and resser, a cooler, and an endless,carrier an endless presser having portions inclosed by said cooler. i

.8.' An apparatus for the manufacture of continuous cork sheets orstrips, 'coniprising an oven, a cooler, an intermediate housing betweenthe oven and the cooler, and endless carriers and pressers, havingportions inclosed by said oven and cooler, and adapted ro torni and feeda layer of granulated .cork through the ovenand the housing and thecooler.

roo

.9. An apparatus for the manufacture of continuous cork sheets orstrips, comprising a movable compressing device adapted to receivegranulated cork in layer form, said devicecoinprising an endless carrierformed of pivotally-connected sections and an endless compressor formedof -pivotallyconnected plates, and a heating device for heating thelayer as it is being compressed, said coin- IIO iig

pressing device being-'movable in a single .plane while subjected 'tothe heating action.

. ln testimony whereof LI aiiiX my signature in presence ottwowitnesses.

JUNIU'S H. STONE.

Witnesses? Unas. FRANCIS STONE, Jr., M. L. CARPENTER.

